Study Verses: 2 Corinthians 8:16 – 9:15Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
Summary: Paul sent a team to Corinth to administer the collection, and he encouraged the Corinthians to give joyfully.
Theme: Joyful giving benefits both giver and receiver alike. If you give little, you will receive little.
Ponder this statement for a moment, “One’s return is determined by his investment. If you give little, you will receive little in return". In Proverbs 11:24 we read, “There is that scatterth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.” The word “scattereth” in this verse means to be generous in your giving. Generous giving can lead to prosperity, but miserliness can lead to poverty. In Luke 6:38 we read, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” And in Galatians 6:7 we are taught the basic laws of the harvest: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” If a man sow sparingly, he shall reap sparingly. Our Lord taught His disciples in Acts 20:35 that “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The joy is in the giving – giving of our money, our time, our talents, our abilities – in order to help those in need and who are less fortunate than ourselves.
However, we should not give simply for the sake of giving or the purpose of gaining recognition from our fellowman. For if we give only to gain recognition and favor of our fellowman, then we have received all the reward that we shall ever receive for our acts. True giving is done in the spirit of humility and love. It is not something that is done out of obligation nor guilt, but rather it is genuine – it comes from the heart. On the subject of giving, Marion G. Romney once said, “Only by voluntary giving, out of abundant love for his neighbor, can one develop the charity characterized by Mormon as the “pure love of Christ” (Ensign, November 1981, pp. 92-93). In Moroni 7:47 we are counseled that “charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” In our daily lives we must come to realize that when we give out of love to our “neighbor”, we are in reality giving to our Heavenly Father. Hear the Savior’s words in Matthew 25:40 as he teaches us “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Speaking further on the subject of giving, Marion G. Romney said, “There is an interdependence between those who have and those who have not. The process of giving exalts the poor and humbles the rich. In the process, both are sanctified. The poor, released from the bondage and limitations of poverty, are enabled as free men to rise to their full potential, both temporally and spiritually. The rich, by imparting their surplus, participate in the eternal principle of giving. Once a person has been made whole or self-reliant, he reaches out to others, and the cycle repeats” (Ensign, November 1982, p.93).
What type of giver does God love? He loves a cheerful giver as we are taught in 2 Corinthians 9:7. God loves the giver that has a willing heart and a desire to give of that which he has to share with others. Paul, in this verse, is not so much interested in the amount of the Corinthians’ money. For that matter, God is not so much interested in the amount of money that we possess either as the passage in Proverbs 22:9 indicates: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.” The expression “hath a bountiful eye” literally means “he that is generous”. In Proverbs 19:7 we read, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” Once again we see that the joy is in the giving.
The Greek word that is used for “cheerful” in 2 Corinthians 9:7 is the word HILAROS – propitious, signifies the readiness of mind, that joyfulness, which is prompt to do anything: hence, cheerful. This is the same root word from which we get our English word “hilarious”. This is not to signify that giving is a joke. It is serious business, but it is a delightful experience at the same time.
In closing, let us hear again the words of Spencer W. Kimball on this matter of giving as he said, “Never did the Savior give in expectation. I know of no case in his life in which there was an exchange. He was always the giver, seldom the recipient. Never did he give shoes, horse, or a vehicle; never did he give perfume, a shirt, or a fir wrap. His gifts were of such nature that the recipient could hardly exchange or return the value. His gifts were opportunity to the downtrodden, freedom to the oppressed, light in the darkness, forgiveness to the repentant, hope to the despairing. His friends gave him shelter, food, and love. He gave them of himself, his love, his service, his life. The wise men brought him gold and frankincense. He gave them and all their fellow mortals resurrection, salvation, and eternal life. We should strive to give as he gave. To give of one self is a holy gift” (The Wondrous Gift, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978, p.2).
These humble thoughts I leave with you this day. In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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